Fr Kelvin Ugwu, a Catholic priest and public commentator, has publicly defended the female UBA graduate trainee who greeted billionaire Tony Elumelu with "Good morning, Tony" during a formal ceremony, arguing that the young woman committed no wrongdoing. In a Facebook post dated 21 August 2026, Fr Ugwu challenged the wave of criticism directed at the trainee, insisting that first-name address is standard practice in formal Western settings.
What Happened at the UBA Graduation Ceremony
The incident occurred during a graduation ceremony for UBA's Graduate Management Accelerated Programme. The female trainee stood up to address Elumelu, opening with "Good morning, Tony." The UBA chairman corrected her on the spot, stating that he does not subscribe to the informal "oyinbo" (Western) way of life and that she should refer to him as "Mr. Elumelu" or "TOE" instead.
Fr Ugwu, writing on Facebook, pointed out that the setting itself was entirely Western in nature—from the dressing to the language and formalities—making first-name address entirely appropriate. He also highlighted an apparent inconsistency in Elumelu's position, noting that a Stanford student had previously interviewed the billionaire and addressed him as "Tony," to which Elumelu responded with a calm "thank you."
Priest Questions Public Outrage and Power Dynamics
Beyond the protocol debate, Fr Ugwu raised a sharper question about why ordinary Nigerians were turning on one of their own rather than interrogating the power dynamic at play. He asked in his post: "Let me ask you this question: why are you angry with the UBA girl because she called Tony Elumelu by his first name?"
He continued: "My simple guess is simply because Tony is a billionaire. It was a formal setting, and in a formal setting, calling people by their first name is the appropriate format. Nothing wrong with that."
Fr Ugwu drew an analogy to formal letter writing, stating: "It is just like a formal letter; there is a format for writing a formal letter." He then addressed the double standard he perceived: "Tony Elumelu says he does not subscribe to being called 'Tony' because he does not follow Oyibo or Western bla bla bla, but everything around the setting—the dressing, the language, and the formalities—is all Western. Besides, there is a video where a Stanford student interviewed him and called him 'Tony,' and he responded with a calm 'thank you.' Why the double standard?"
Priest Calls for Nuance and Focus on Bigger Issues
Fr Ugwu argued that both positions can coexist: "It is okay that Tony Elumelu does not want her to call him 'Tony.' Also, the girl never did anything wrong by calling him Tony. Two truths can coexist." He then questioned why Nigerians were attacking a fellow ordinary citizen: "Why are poor people dragging their fellow poor person?"
The priest also criticized the public's short attention span, noting how quickly social media moves from one trending topic to another: "With the speed of light, una move from Peter P Square to VDM. Before we digest it, una move to Davido and his uncle. From there, una move to the titles of books about husbands being useless or dragging wives to mud. Before we know it, we are talking about Agatha and the veneration of her skull. E no even reach one day, Tony and his employee are now trending as though it is a national issue." He concluded: "This is how we minor in the major and major in the minors."
Earlier Defense by Nigerian Professional
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Olumide Lawrence Odeyemi, a Nigerian professional, took to Facebook to defend the trainee and explain the cultural clash behind the Tony Elumelu incident. Odeyemi argued that the trainee simply followed what she was taught during onboarding, but picked the wrong moment and the most senior person in the room. The incident continues to spark debate online about workplace etiquette, power dynamics, and cultural expectations in Nigerian corporate settings.
